# Jayana Kothari on gender equality and landmark legal battles 2026-08-26T09:53:10+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Supreme Court litigator Jayana Kothari has spoken about her work fighting for gender equality, disability rights and the rights of transgender persons, arguing that women are not the property of their husbands and calling for the removal of the marital rape exception. Founder of the Centre for Law and Policy Research, she has 25 years of litigation experience. Kothari reflected on representing women, persons with disabilities and transgender communities in landmark cases that challenged deeply rooted inequalities. She also discussed the continuing challenges around domestic violence and the need to change outdated assumptions around gender identity. Her cases have changed her own understanding of equality and justice. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The marital rape exception, which exempts husbands from prosecution for rape within marriage, has been challenged in multiple high courts and the Supreme Court. The central government has opposed its removal, arguing it could destabilise marriage. Kothari's call adds to a growing legal push: the Delhi High Court is hearing a batch of petitions seeking to strike down the exception. A verdict could set a nationwide precedent on whether marital rape becomes a criminal offence under Indian law. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com Presents Kothari's views as an interview summary without editorial slant. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Delhi High Court, disability rights, gender equality, Jayana Kothari, marital rape, Supreme Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/jayana-kothari-on-gender-equality-and-landmark-legal-battles/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/jayana-kothari-on-gender-equality-and-landmark-legal-battles/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/